Tractor.



3. M MEYERS,

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION HLED MAR 31. 1913 Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

I. I 21/. Meyers.

lumntud fxpan I. M. MEYERS.

TEAL-T53.

APPLICATION HLEU MAR. 3h 1M3.

W 5 E n J. lVL MEYEHS.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION mm mm 31, 5213.

1 ,26 1 ,263. Patented Apr. 2, I918.

I. M. MEYERS.

TRACTOR.

APPUCAYION FILED MAR 33. 1.9!3.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

5 SHEEYS-SHEET 4:

J. M. MEYERS.

TRACTOR.

APPLICA'HON flLED MAR. 31. 1913.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

5 SHEETSSHEEI' b.

amwntot J Meyer JOHN iaAx. Mm ms, or was: cnns'rnn, rnmvsnvama rumor.

Specification of Letters Patent.--

Patented Apr. 2,1918.

Application filed March 31, 1818. Serial No. 757,920.

adapted to be readily su )stituted for the front wheels of a horse-drawn truck, fireengine, or other vehicle, whereby the same may be readily and easily converted into a motor-driven vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tractor for an automobile truck or the like in which all the driving mechanism, to-.

gether with the engine, ismounted on the tractor, the construction being such that should the engine or driving mechanism need repair the tractor can be easily and quickly removed from the truck,-and another tractor substituted, whereby a person having a plurality of trucks need have only an extra tractor in order to enable repairs and over hauling to be made to the tractors.

A further object of my invention is to provide a two-wheel tractor which carries the motor and all the driving mechanism, and also in providing mechanism whereby the motor and the driving mechanism may be controlled from the body of the truck in convenient position for the driver.

A further object of my invention is to provide flexible connections which extend down through the center of rotation of the tractor from" the truck to the mechanism of the tractor, whereby the mechanism of the tractor can be controlled by the driver from his seat, and the rotation of the tractor for steering the truck will not interfere with the control of the driving mechanism and 1 engine.

i when detac A further object of myinvention is to pro 'vide detachable means whereby the tractor can be sup )ortcd in its upright position lied from the truck 'or other vehicle, and to permit its being readily run when so detached.

Further objects of my invention will ap-- pear from' the following description and claims.

With the foregoing and other objects in \VIBW my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arran ements of parts, the referred form of-which will be first descri ed in connection with the accompanymg drawing. and then the invention particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

Referrin to the drawings wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front portion of a truck showing the same provided with. my preferred form of tractor;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tractor, with parts omitted to more clearly show the construction l Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the mounting of the axle of the tractor, with parts omitted and the axle shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a detail pers ective view of the axle mounting illustrate in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a. sectiontaken online 5, 5 of Fig. 3; ig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the hanger construction shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the connections by which the engine and driving mechanism are controlled;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8, 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view, with nuts omitted, of the construction shown in igs. 7 and 8, and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of my tractor removed.

10, 11 indicate two pairs of bars, each pair of bars 10, 11 being spaced apart'f rom each other, and the pairs connected together at their ends by means of the cross bars 12, the bars 10, 11 and 12 thus forming a rectangular frame,- as best shown in Fig. 2. Extending between the cross bars 12 and intermediate the pairs of bars 10, 11 are the longitudinally extending bars 13, said bars extending parallel to each other, and 14 indicates a hydrocarbon engine of any ordinary or desired type, which engine is supported from the bars 13.

15 indicates a casing containing the transmission gears and also the ditterential whic h casing is also suspended from the longitudinally extending bars 13. The transmission mechanism and the differential may be of any ordinary or desired type, as their construction formsno part of this invention. 16 indicatesa drive shaft which extends from the engine 14 to the casing l5, and 17 "Hitcatcs a pair of jack shafts extending out. from the opposite sides of the casing 15, each carrying a sprocket wheel 18 connected by a sprocket chain 19 to a sprocket- 20 fast on a shaft 21 journaled in a bearing 22 formed In one end of a bracket 23, the other end of the bracket being loosely mounted by a journal box 24 on theaxle 25 of the tractor. The axle 25 extends from side to side of the tractor frame, and the center of the axle is in the same vertical line with the center of rotation of the tractor. -The air of wheels 26 for the tractor are rotatab y mounted on the opposite cndsof the axle 25, it being understood that the wheels revolve independently of each other upon suitable bearlngs formed on the ends of the axle. Secured on the inner face of each wheel 26 is a circular plate 27 carrying an internal gear 28, with which meshes a gear 29 fast on the shaft 21, whereby the jack shafts 17 will drive the wheels.

Mounted upon the cross bars 12 andbetween each pair of side plates 10, 11 1s a sprin 30, preferably of the ordinary type of ha f elliptic plate spring, the spring at its middle portion bearing u on the top of the axle. It is to be noted t lat. by placing the springs between the plates 10, 11 that the springs are guided and side swaying of the frame and consequently of the. truck is revented. In order to uide the axle ant cause it to move in a rig t line I secure to the intermediate bars 13 a pair of yokes 31, which are slotted as shown at 32 and which engage a squared portion 33 of the axle, whereby the. a do is prevented from rotating, and is guided to move in a right line. In order to permit the spring to contact with the ax I form the yokes 23 with a pair of spaced arms itkand cut away the iearing 24 of the yok'esi ns indicated at 35,

and as best. shown in Fig. '6, between the arms 34, so that the spring contacts directly with the axle, and toe yoke ispcrmitted to i have the necessary movement about. the axle.

In order to prerentundue shocks and strains being, transmitted to tho junk shaft 17 and the power mcchmiism l provide means for keeping the sprocket chains 19 under constant. spring tension the preferred construction of this uuachauism being: as follows: Loosely connectcdto the bearing 22 of the bracket 33 are a pair of rods 36,

wheel carrying frame 56 are a which extcnd forwardly of the tractor. and at their forward ends pass through a plate 257. the outer ends of the rods being threaded to receive nuts 38.

39 indicates a hug mounted upon the front cross bar 12 and provided with an inwardly projecting finger 40 which rests aga nst. the underside of the longitudinal bars 10, ll. 'lhc lug 39 is also provided on its outer ciid with an eye 41, through which passes a rod 42, that loosely projects through an opcuin; in the plate 37. The rod 42 carries at its inner end a head 43, and 44 is a coil spring mounted on the rod 42 and ex tending between the plate 37 and the head 43. 45 is a nut threaded onto the rod 42 through the eye it.

From the foreg ;oiu; construction it will be seen that the spring 44 will act to hold the sprocket chain 151 under a certain tcnsiou, which tension can be varied by the .adjustment. of the nuts 45 and the nuts 38 to properly correspond to the power delivered to the wheels.

l'referabl and as shown there is mount ed on to o the tractor frame a fifth wheel 46, whic is in the form of a complete circle, the upper surface of which is channeled and into w ich extends a wheel 47, suitably supported by Webs 48 extending down from the under surface of the fifth wheel carrying frame 56 to the top of which the body of the truck to which the tractor is to be attachcd is bolted. In order to hold the wheel 4? in the channel I preferably secure to the one edge of the channel. as by bolts 4!), a series of sector shaped plates 50. the inner edge of said plates extending over the outer edge of the fifth wheel 46 and adjacent to the side of the web 45.

()n the forward portion of the fifth wheel 46 I provide gear teeth 51 engaged by a gear 52 carried on the lower end of a steering shaft 53 having a hand wheel 54 at. its upper end and passirg through a suitable bearing 55 on the fifth wheel carrying frame 56 wheirby the driver can steer the same.

Mounted on. the under side 0 the fifth i of downwardly pro ecting supporting p ates .17 between which extends a shaft 58 on'which is jomnaled a pair of hell crank levers 9, 60- 'lhc upper end of these levers is connected by means of the links 61. 62, to a gear shiftin; lever 63 of any ordinary or desired type so arrangd that it can then operate the bell crank lever '59 or 60 as desired.

64 designates a hollow hub fixedly. supported betwtien the plates 57 by means of the outwardly extending arms 5 having the screw-threaded reduced end 66-! passing through the plates 57 ahd loosely held in place by means of a lock nut 68. The hub 64 is hollow and slidably mounted therein is the upper end of a hollow sleeve (39. The

sleeve 69 is provided just below the hub (54 with outwardly rejecting ins 70 locatcd on opposite si sad the s coves, these pins bein engaged by the forked ends 71 of the be crank lever 60. The tube at its lower end passes through a bearing 72 so ported by the oppositely extending arms 3 loosely bolted between a pair of plates 74, carried by brackets 75 fast on the longitudinally extending lates 13 on the tractor. The hubs 72 and t e hub 64 are in line with the center of rotation of the tractor, whereby the turning movement of the tractor will not affect the vertical movement of the sleeve. Formed on the lower portion of the sleeve 69 is a rin 75', provided with a groove 76, into which extends an inwardly projecting flange 77, carried by a pair of half rings 7 8, each half ring being provided with an outwardly projecting pin 79, which in turn is engaged by the forked ends 80 of a bell crank lever 81 jonrnaled on a shaft 82, supported between the lates 74. The other arm of the bell crank ever is connected by a rod 83 with the transmission in the usual manner.

Slidably mounted upon the sleeve 69 and intermediate the pins 70 and the rings 75 is a slidin collar 81, from the upper por-, tion of w ich extends on opposite sides thereof a air of pips 85 engaged by the forked on 5-86 of the bell crank lever 59. The collar 84 has extending therefrom a ring 87 provided-with a groove 88, the ring being surrounded by a two-part ring '89 providcd with an inwardly projectin portibn 90 extending into the groove 88. Ihc twopart ring 89 carries the projecting pins 91 on opposite sides thereof which are engaged by the forked ends 92 of a bell crank lever 93, journalcd on the shaft 82, the bell crank lever at its opposite end being connected by a rod 94 to the transmission in .the usuaI manner.

From the foregoin i construction it will be seen that through t e pairs of bell crank levers and the sliding sleeve connection that the transmission can be operated to. shift; the gears in the ordinary way irrespective of the position of ,the. tractor with relation to the truck, the turnin of the parts on the sleeve permitting of "t e operation of the crank lever 101, in the 0 gear fitting lever irrespective of the position of the tractor with relation to the truck. In Fig. 7 I have indicated at a clutch of ordinary type, which is adapted to be thrown into and out of enga ment by a bell ina manner. In order to operate the bell crank ever.from the truck irrespective of the osition of the tractor, I have connected to t e free end of. the lover a ropeor cable 102, which extends up through t e sleeve 69, the hubs Mend 72, and also throu h a curved guidin extension 103 forme on top of the ha 64,

and also through the the cable or cord 102 being connected at its up or end on the truck toa lever 103 pivota ly mounted thereon, Preferably and as shown, I provide the lever 103 wt an offset portion 104, adapted to be engaged by a cam roller 105, carried on a foot lever 106, pivoted at 107, the construction being such that the cam projection 105 will en gage the lever 103, and move the same sufiiciently to disconnect the clutch, when it will pass over on the portion 104 and hold the clutch out during further movement of the lever 106, without further movement of the lever 103. To the lever 104 is connected :1 cable or rope 108, which passes down through a guide openingin the guiding extension 103, through the sleeve 69, and through a rearwardly turned guide 109. The lower end-of the rope or cord 108 is connected to brake bands, preferably mounted on the 'aclrshaft 17 of the tractor. In the form 0 construction shown this is effected by connecting the, brake bands 109 ofany ordinary or desired type together by means of a rope or cable 110 passing over suitable pulleys 111, mounted upon the longitudinally extending bars 13 nnd connecting the cable 108 to the central portion of thecable 110. 'By this construction the braking force will be exertedevenly on both jack shafts. In addition to the brake just described I may also provide the truck witha brake lever 112, suitably connected to brake mechanism on 'the rear wheels of the truck as shown.

113 indicates an accelerator, which is shown as being mounted in the foot-board.

in front of the drivers seat, to bedepressed by the foot, and is connected to one end of the bell crank lever 114, to the other end of which is connected one end of a cord or cable 115, which passes through a guide 116 formed in the hub '64, the cable assing through the sleeve 69 and connecte at its lower end to one end of, bell crank lever 117, pivoted at 118 between the plates 7i,

the otherend. of the bell crank lever being connected by the rod 119 to a carburetor 120, to operate the carburetor in the usual manner. In order that the tractor when removed from under a body may be readily run to any place that may be desir'ed,.I have provided a caster 130, journnled in a fork 131 vertically pivoted in one end of an arm;

132, which lnay, whenever desired -be secured to the tractor by. passing the bolt 133 through an opening-in the end of the arm pprforated lug 134 and held from turnin y the locking pin 135, When through w th the caster it may he removed by taking out the bolt and lockin pin.

mm the foregoingl be seen that whlle t etractor carries all the driving and powerlnechaniem for the construction it will track, and is turned in stealing. the truck, I ha re provided means whereby the necessary operations of changing gears controlling the gas supply and applying brakes to the wheels of the tractor can be efi'ceted by the operator seated on the truck, and this can be done whatever may be the position of the tractor in relation to the truck. It is also to be noted that the fifth wheel frame car ying the steering wheel and 0 crating levers can be detached from the body or the truck and another body substituted without ditliculty.

I reaiize that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction and arrangmiwnt of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to the specific form shown and described.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patnt is:

1. In a. tractor for motor vehicles, the" zontal movement thereof, a motor suspended from said intermediate bars and gearing connections between said motor and the wheels.

2. In a tractor for motorvchicles, the combination with a frame, of a fixed axle, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the axle, a pair of springs interposed between the axle and frame, jackshafts, means'for driving the jack shafts including a motor and differential gearing, a'sprocket on each jack shaft, a bracket swingingly mounted adjacent each wheel and concentric therewith, a shaft journalcd in each bracket, a sprocket on each shaft, a sprocket chain connecting the sprockets on the jack shaft with the last mentioned sprockets, a gear on each shaft a second gear secured to each wheel with which said firshmcntioned gear meshes,

and spring mechanism connected to the bracket to keep a tension on said chains.

3. In a tractor for motor vehicles, the combination with a .frame, of a fixed axle, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the axle, a pair of springs interposed between the axle and t.he frame, jack shafts, means for driving the jack shafts. including a mo tor and differential gearing, a sprocket on each jack shaft, a bracket mounted on the axlcadjaccnt each wheel, a shaft jonrnaled iz. cach bracket, a sprocket on a h shaft, a .sln'm'kr-f chain connecting the sprockets on the jark shafts with the last-n'mnlioncd sprockets, a gear on each shaft, a second car secured to each wheel with which said rst mentioned car meshes, a pair of rods secured to each bracket at one end, a plate connecting the other ends of the rods together, a second rod passing through said plate and provided with a head, a sprin 'nter osed between said head and said p iate, an means connecting said rod with the frame. I l

4. In a tractor for motor vehicles, the combination with a frame, of a pair of wheels mounted thereon, driving mechanism for the wheels comprising a motor, and transmission gears, a )earing mounted at the center of rotation of the tractor, a second bearing mounted on the body of the vehicle in line with said first mentioned bearing, a sleeve slidably mounted in said bearings, means on the vehicle body for moving the sleeve and connections between the sleeve and the transmission gears whereby the gears may be shifted from the vehicle.

5. In a tractor for motor vehicles, the combination with a frame, of a pair of wheels mounted thereon, driving mechanism for the wheels comprising a motor and transmission gears, a bearing mounted at the center of rotation of the tractor, a second bearing mounted on the body of the vehicle in line with saidfirst mentioned bearing, a sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, and a second slccveimounted on said first sleeve and slrdablethereon, means on the vehicle body for moving either of said sleeves independently of the other, and connections between each of said sleeves and the transmission gears whereby the gears may be shifted from the vehicle.

6. In a tractor for motor vehicles, the combination with a frame, a pair of wheels mounted thereon, driving mechanism for the wheels comprising a motor, transmission gears and a clutch interposed between the motor and the transmission gears, a bearing mounted at the, center of rotation of the tractor, a second hearing on the body of the vehicle in line with said first-mentioned bearing, a sleeve slidably mounted in said bearings, means on the vehicle body for movihg the sleeve, connections between the sleeves and the transmission gears whereby the gears may beishifted from the vehicle, a cable extending through said sleeve, and connected tothe clutch operating mechanism, and means mounted on the vehicle whereby said rable may be operated to disconnect the clutch.

7L In a tractor for motor vehicles, the combination with a frame, of an axle, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle, jack shafts, means for driving the jack shafts, a sprocket on each jack shaft, gears connected to each wheel, a second gear meshing with each of said first mentioned gears, a sprocket (onnected to each of said second mentioned In testimony whereof I aflix my signature gears, sprocket chains connecting each pair in presence of two witnesses. of sprocketsCmeans permitting said secondmentionedi ears to move circumferentially JOHN MEYERS' of said first-mentioned gears, and spring Witnesses: mechanism adapted to keep a tension on the CHARLES R. PALMsRs,

chains. G110. J. Moss. 

